Point-of-sale or point-of-purchase, in-store display fixtures are commonly used as a way of presenting merchandise for display to prospective purchasers. Typically, such display fixtures or display units are comprised of vertically oriented standards or uprights supported by a base member and braces. The uprights ordinarily support, in cantilever fashion, shelves or horizontally disposed shelf supports. Some known display units include a substantially rectangular grid or framework which not only structurally supports the unit, but also carries shelves.
It also is common in retail stores, such as mass merchandising outlets and grocery stores, to have double-sided display units aligned in spaced relationship to form aisles between successive units. The display units support shelves from opposing sides of the uprights to form double-sided displays. Separating boards, such as peg boards, typically are disposed between the uprights, in order to separate opposing shelves. These double-sided, in-store display units typically have a similar structural steel support frame as the single-sided or wall mounted display fixtures.
Merchandisers predominately utilize in-store advertizing or informational displays to promote their products. Such promotional items take the form of graphic displays, such as banners, headpieces and other printed materials, suspended by various means either adjacent to or attached to the product display units. Often these graphic display units are not readily assembled "in-store" or are self-standing units which can interfere both with customer flow or with the display of the products themselves. Additionally, these known promotional displays typically are made for a single graphics item only, and must be discarded or removed when the new material or promotional item is advertised. It is thus believed that a need exists for a graphics display unit, such as the modular cornice assembly of the present invention, which readily can be assembled in-store and mounted onto existing product display fixtures, so as to be positioned for maximum customer viewing and minimum interference with customer flow and product display.